Published: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 9:50 a.m.

The ex-boyfriend of a woman shot and killed early Tuesday in a police confrontation called 911 because he thought she was suicidal, 911 audio reveals.

"My ex-girlfriend ... she ran out of the house and I think she's going to kill herself," the unidentified man on Tabor Lane said in the 911 recording released Monday afternoon. "She's been sitting here texting me on the phone and I've been trying to talk her out of it. There's nothing I can do to help it, so I'm calling you guys. I didn't wanna. But I don't have any choice."

Wilmington police identified the victim of the shooting as 21-year-old Grace Louise Denk. Her name was misspelled by police in a 12:55 p.m. release.

The caller said he was uncertain where Denk went but that she'd been drinking, and he suggested officers look at her home on Woodburn Court.

"What exactly did she say?" the dispatchers asked.

"That I have until 2 a.m.," the caller said.

As the dispatcher was ending the call, the man said Denk had a weapon.

"I know that she has a small .380 Ruger. I don't know if she has that with her or not," he said.

Denk was killed after police responded to a report of a domestic dispute in the 700 block of Tabor Lane at 1:17 a.m., according to Wilmington Police Department spokeswoman Linda Rawley. The dispatch log labels the incident as a "welfare check."

The dispatch log indicates the ex-boyfriend called 911 at 1:17 a.m. and an officer was dispatched at 1:20. The first officer arrived on Tabor Street at 1:26 a.m., according to the log.

An officer spotted Denk in her gray Toyota SUV driving past the boyfriend's house at 1:42 a.m. and 10 seconds later, the log shows, the Toyota stopped near the intersection with Sunglow Drive.

At 1:43:18, 26 seconds after the car stopped, an officer reported Denk had a gun. At 1:44, an officer reported shots had been fired.

Rawley refused to say whether police shot Denk, but she confirmed the two officers involved fired their handguns. Both are on paid administrative leave.

Rawley said the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is handling the investigation.

Kyle Puckett, who lives nearby on Sunglow Drive, said he was asleep when a volley of gunshots awoke him. Puckett pointed out the location between two saplings where he first saw the victim's Nissan Pathfinder. All that remained of the law enforcement activity by 8 a.m. was a portion of crime scene tape on a tree.

"I heard three or four shots and yelling. They were telling the lady to get down in a profane and aggressive way," Puckett said.

He said when he reached his front window, he could see two police cars and a body lying in the street on Tabor Lane. Shortly after, he said, the usually quiet street of single-family homes off North Kerr Avenue was teeming with law enforcement officers.

In a number of online listings for baby-sitting jobs, a Gracie Denk describes herself as a former Marine and student at Cape Fear Community College.

"I love kids and was raised in a family of four kids, so I realize how important fun and creativity is for children," the listing reads. "I am reliable and will only be attending school in the mornings."

The Tuesday morning incident is at least the fifth officer-involved shooting for the Wilmington Police Department in four months. In the previous shootings, police were cleared of any wrongdoing following SBI investigations.

<p>The ex-boyfriend of a woman shot and killed early Tuesday in a police confrontation called 911 because he thought she was suicidal, 911 audio reveals. </p><p>"My ex-girlfriend ... she ran out of the house and I think she's going to kill herself," the unidentified man on Tabor Lane said in the 911 recording released Monday afternoon. "She's been sitting here texting me on the phone and I've been trying to talk her out of it. There's nothing I can do to help it, so I'm calling you guys. I didn't wanna. But I don't have any choice."</p><p>Wilmington police identified the victim of the shooting as 21-year-old Grace Louise Denk. Her name was misspelled by police in a 12:55 p.m. release. </p><p>The caller said he was uncertain where Denk went but that she'd been drinking, and he suggested officers look at her home on Woodburn Court. </p><p>"What exactly did she say?" the dispatchers asked. </p><p>"That I have until 2 a.m.," the caller said. </p><p>As the dispatcher was ending the call, the man said Denk had a weapon. </p><p>"I know that she has a small .380 Ruger. I don't know if she has that with her or not," he said. </p><p>Denk was killed after police responded to a report of a domestic dispute in the 700 block of Tabor Lane at 1:17 a.m., according to Wilmington Police Department spokeswoman Linda Rawley. The dispatch log labels the incident as a "welfare check."</p><p>The dispatch log indicates the ex-boyfriend called 911 at 1:17 a.m. and an officer was dispatched at 1:20. The first officer arrived on Tabor Street at 1:26 a.m., according to the log.</p><p>An officer spotted Denk in her gray Toyota SUV driving past the boyfriend's house at 1:42 a.m. and 10 seconds later, the log shows, the Toyota stopped near the intersection with Sunglow Drive. </p><p>At 1:43:18, 26 seconds after the car stopped, an officer reported Denk had a gun. At 1:44, an officer reported shots had been fired. </p><p>Rawley refused to say whether police shot Denk, but she confirmed the two officers involved fired their handguns. Both are on paid administrative leave. </p><p>Denk was pronounced dead at <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9969"><b>New Hanover Regional Medical Center</b></a> a short time later. The dispatch log indicates she suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. </p><p>Rawley said the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is handling the investigation.</p><p>Kyle Puckett, who lives nearby on Sunglow Drive, said he was asleep when a volley of gunshots awoke him. Puckett pointed out the location between two saplings where he first saw the victim's Nissan Pathfinder. All that remained of the law enforcement activity by 8 a.m. was a portion of crime scene tape on a tree. </p><p>"I heard three or four shots and yelling. They were telling the lady to get down in a profane and aggressive way," Puckett said. </p><p>He said when he reached his front window, he could see two police cars and a body lying in the street on Tabor Lane. Shortly after, he said, the usually quiet street of single-family homes off North Kerr Avenue was teeming with law enforcement officers. </p><p>In a number of online listings for baby-sitting jobs, a Gracie Denk describes herself as a former Marine and student at <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9937"><b>Cape Fear Community College</b></a>. </p><p>"I love kids and was raised in a family of four kids, so I realize how important fun and creativity is for children," the listing reads. "I am reliable and will only be attending school in the mornings."</p><p>The Tuesday morning incident is at least the fifth officer-involved shooting for the Wilmington Police Department in four months. In the previous shootings, police were cleared of any wrongdoing following SBI investigations. </p><p><i></p><p>F.T. Norton: 343-2070</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @StarNewsOnline</i></p>